Practical reference
Green Amethyst Seller Claim Decoder
Use this as a lookup table while reading a gemstone listing. For the full explanation of treatment and authenticity, read Natural vs. Treated Green Amethyst.
Quick rule
A seller’s wording should help you answer three separate questions: What material is it? Was the colour treated? What evidence supports any premium claim?
A seller’s wording should help you answer three separate questions: What material is it? Was the colour treated? What evidence supports any premium claim?
What common seller phrases mean
| Seller says | What it tells you | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Green amethyst | A common retail name for green quartz sold as prasiolite. | It does not establish natural colour or treatment history. The precise gem name is prasiolite. |
| Prasiolite | The green quartz variety being described. | The name alone does not tell you whether the green colour formed naturally or through treatment. |
| Natural gemstone | Usually signals that the material is being represented as a mined gem rather than an imitation. | By itself, it does not clearly answer whether the colour was treated. |
| Natural colour / untreated | A much more specific claim about colour origin or lack of treatment. | It does not become reliable merely because it appears in a listing. Ask what supports the claim, especially if the price is much higher. |
| Genuine | Usually means the seller is claiming the stone is real gemstone material rather than an imitation. | It does not mean untreated, rare, or naturally green. |
| Heated | The seller is disclosing heat treatment. | It does not by itself tell you the starting material, laboratory findings, or value. |
| Irradiated | The seller is disclosing irradiation treatment. | It does not by itself tell you the stone’s quality or value. |
| Brazilian / from Brazil | An origin claim. | Origin wording alone does not establish treatment history. |
| Rare | A marketing claim unless it is clearly defined and supported. | It does not prove natural colour, exceptional quality, or investment value. |
About the name “green amethyst”. It is widely understood by shoppers, which is why this site uses it, but U.S. FTC jewelry guidance cautions sellers against using “green amethyst” as the varietal name for prasiolite. We therefore use prasiolite whenever precision matters.
How much weight should you give the wording?
| Type of wording | How useful it is |
|---|---|
| Material identity: “prasiolite,” “quartz” | Useful for identifying what the stone is. |
| Treatment disclosure: “heated,” “irradiated” | Useful when clear and written into the description or invoice. |
| Specific premium claim: “untreated natural colour” | Potentially important, but ask what evidence supports it if the price depends on the claim. |
| General praise: “genuine,” “premium,” “rare,” “investment” | Weak by itself. These words do not establish treatment, quality or value. |
Best single question: “What is the stone, was its green colour treated, and is that description written on the invoice?”
When documentation matters most
You do not need a laboratory report for every inexpensive piece of prasiolite jewelry. Documentation matters more when a seller is asking a large premium for an unusual claim such as untreated natural colour, exceptional origin, or rarity.